Shirt band and collar support



April 17, 1956 M. A. TEAGUE SHIRT BAND AND COLLAR SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1952 April 17, 1956 TEAGUE SHIRT BAND AND COLLAR SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1952 M AW MW INVENTOR. M14 V/A /9. TZ HGZ/F This invention relates to a shirt band and collarstipport ofthe typeadapted forpreventing-a freshly laundered shirt nom becoming wrinkled prior. to use.

Itisgeneral practiceto fold-a freshly launderedshirt in such. a way; that the colIarand the front portion of the shirt willremain uncreasedand unwrinkled until used even .thnughzin the meantime 'it maybe handled-several times.andistackedina.drawer with othershirts. It is a prim'arypurposeof this invention to provide a shirt-band.

- Umwd m o V v 2; inside of the: collar- 12- 'of'a laundered shirt 18 as shown in Fig. 1. The tie portion 4 and tab 3 are folded down- Wardly toth'e 'position shown inFig: 5, the fold-being at the junctureflbettiveen the tab 3 and the member l proper. The: shirt? band 1 1 is fastened around the shirt'13 irrtfie positionshown in Fig. 1. The'tie'porti'on l of'band ll v is folded upwardlyas shown in 'Fig. 5, the fold being at the juncture 9 between the tab andthe'member 1 proper. 'lz'henihymushy manipulatingthe-tie portion d theupper' edges c of' tlie-tie portion 4 -of thecolIarsupportHJare insertettunderthe lower edges b of thetie portiondoftheshi-rtlband 11 so that the tab;3- ofi;co llar support l lt overl'iesi'tabi t 3 of band 11 and the -wing portiohs 5 and of band 11 overlie the wing portion's s 'andti' of thecollar support 10; The collar-support 10 andthe shirt banddl are. thus locked togetherin a manner tending-"toliold 1 each in i place, and they will remain so locked un'til the tie: portions 4 are manually disengaged. It should-be noted' that the collar support 10" maybe shaped to fit'a large variety ofditfrentt'ypes}and sizes of collars and and collar support for securing-a shirt int-such folded conditiomand for providing Ithenecessary. supportfor the collar, .whi ch,will be. as attractiveflas: possible and as;in-

expensive. of manufacture, and as: simple of application aspossible. Severalformsof the invention are shown in. the accompanying drawings:

: Fig. Iiis .aperspective viewshowing;.thef shirtband and. collar support in use on a folded'shirt.

'Fig. 2 is a-side elevationi showing.in'unfolded condition a member.which-maybensed as either-the shirt band or the collar support;

r 3 shows the member of Fig. Zfolded to serve; as the eollarsupports a I r j p i Fig. 4 shows-themember of Fig. 2 folded toFServe'as theshir t band and showing the end portions thereof inter locked. i

Fig. 5 shows'the members of Figs. 3 and 4 in spaced relation but in the approximate relative position for use.

Fig. 6 is substantially in plan showing a modified construction of the invention applied to a shirt shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the member of modified construction folded as a collar support.

Fig. 9 is an elevation taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6. The invention comprises a band o1- strip-like member 1 Imade of paper or cardboard or similar foldable material.

Near each end of the member 1 are a number of lugs 2 separated by slot-like openings 8, the openings on the opposite ends of the member extending laterally inward,

from opposite sides thereof. Substantiallyat the middle 7 of the member 1 and extending from one side-thereof is a tab 3 having end portions extended longitudinally of the member 1 to simulate a portion of a butterfly shaped lar shape shown in Fig. 3 tofform the collar support 10.

Another member 1 is adapted to be fashioned into the shape as shown in Fig. 4 with the end portions locked together in overlapping relation by interengagement of V 3 bow tie as indicated at 4. The tie portion 4 has one end' or wing 5' shaped squarely to represent one of the bows the lugs 2 to form the shirt band 11. It should be noted that the collar support 10 and theshirt band 11 are made from substantially identical members 1.

In use, the collar support 10 shown in Fig. 3 is inserted andsiies.= of shirts selective engagement of the lugs'l 2 and openings 8: in thelatterfconnectiohit should understoodfthaflwhilethe member 1 shownimFig. 2fhas' and slots; on openings 8 may be I of various shapesfand sizes; for! example,- the endsof' the; lugs may" b rounded a'sia't 24t-to faeilitateinterengagement thereof? togethertasadescribed,.one tfeportiorrfl overli i 1 tie. portion. substantially as 'shownfin Fig: l with respective ends 5' and fi reversed' to'eaeh other in enemasner ofiarraefual bow-tie, heresy-previews veryattraerive three" dimensional simtiiatd new ue; V

-In addition-to being 'inade' frommenrbers t which are identicallyiconstructed, the 'eoltar snpport-ltf and the sIiii-i' lrzindfizmaybe made from members when side is folded inwardly in the collar support and folded outwardly in the shirt band, all obverse surfaces'14 as shown in Fig. 1 will be colored. This makes it possible to obtain a two-color effect Without the necessity of using more than one color on any given member 1. Thus this invention provides a collar support and shirt band of utmost simplicity in manufacture and use and therefore of utmost economy, which is unusually effective for its purpose, and which presents a very attractive appearance.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 6 through Fig. 9, the member lwhich is to form the collar support 10 is cut or scored to form the fingers 15 and 'fingers 16 which in use are folded laterally outward from the lower edges of the collar supportto provide increased support for the collar. The lfingers 15 are relatively small, are preferably identical in size and shape, and are preferably tapered in shape so that they are narrowest at their free ends In use the fingers 15 extend outwardly at an abrupt angle from opposite sides of the'triangle formed by the collar support and are situated nearthe base of that triangle. The fingers 16 are relatively large, are preferably identical, are preferably tapered in shape so that they are widest at their free ends. In use fingers 16 extend outwardly at anoblique angle from opposite 1 sides of the said triangle and are disposed near the apex of the triangle, that is, the angle lying subjacent'the tie. portion 4. The fingers 15 and 16 are disposed preferably symmetrically on the sides of the triangle. When the collar support 1 0 is inserted into the collar 12 the fingers 15 extend laterally under and support the lower. edges of V the collar near the back of. the collar and the fingers 1.6

similarly extend under and support the lower edges of the a collar near the front of the collar. The front part of the collar 12 is shallower than the back part so that the fingers 16 must be higher than the fingers 15 in order to provide equal supportfor various parts of the collar; ,Iclairngrj I 1;.

1. .Theemethod of retaining the body portion and collar of a shirt in neatly folded condition which comprises, arranging a flexible but self supporting band having a projectingtab thereon .around the inside of the collar for supporting the collar in a generally upright position, encircling the body portion of the folded shirt at a location generally adjacent the collar with a separate flexible bandhaving a projecting ta'bvthereon for holding the body portion in folded condition, and securing the two bands in place by bending thetabs thereon to a position generally overlyingthe front portion of the collar and interengaging the tabs in locked relation.

2. A shirt band'and collar support comprising a band element formed of aflexible but self-supporting material such ascardboard, saidelement being adapted to be selectively arranged as ,a shirt encircling band member on a folded shirt and as a collar support member around the inside of a shirt collar to support the same in a generally upright position, said element having a single integraltab projecting laterally from one longitudinal edge thereof at a location substantially midway between the ends thereof, the free end of said tab having integral Wing portions cooperating therewith to simulate the Wing portions and central knot of a bow tie, the edges of said wing portionscooperating with adjacent edges of said tab to form notch means, said wing portions being relatively closely spacedfrom said longitudinal edge of said element such that when said element is fashioned selectively into one of saidmembers as described, said tab is disposed adjacent the front of said collar with said notch means being detachably interlockablewith a tab on a band element applied to a'folded shirt as the other of said members, said band element being fashioned with a pair of fingers along the other longitudinal edgerthereof, said fingers being disposed generally opposite to'said tab and being foldable to a position substantially inclined to the plane of said band, whereby when said one member is fashioned into a collar support said fingers may be folded to a position extending beneath the front portion of the collar.

3. A shirt band and collar support comprising, a band formed of a flexible but self-supporting material such as cardboard, said band having a width generally corresponding to the height of a conventional shirt collar, said band being adapted to be selectively applied to a folded shirt as a shirt encircling band and as an upright supporting liner within the shirt collar, said band having a foldable tab, said tab extending laterally of said band so that the tabs on a pair of bands applied to a shirt as described may be positioned adjacent the front of the shirt collar, said tab extending from said band a distance generally corresponding to the height of a conventional shirt collar so that the tab on a band applied as a collar support can be folded downwardly to overlie the collar front and said tab on a shirt encircling band, said tab including means arranged and constructed to detachably interlock with an overlying tab.

V 4; A shirt band-and collar support comprising, a band formed of a flexible but self-supporting material such as cardboard, said band being adapted to be selectively applied to a folded shirt as a shirt encircling band and as an upright supporting liner within the shirt collar, said band having a foldable tab, said tab extending laterally of said band so that the tabs on a pair of bands applied to a shirt as described may be positioned adjacent the front of the shirt collar, said tab and band having a combined width generally corresponding to two times the height of a conventional shirt collar so that a tab on a band applied as a collar support can be folded downwardly to overlie the collar front and said tab on a shirt encircling band, said tab including means arranged and constructed to detachably interlock with an overlying tab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Strasser Aug. 5, 1952 

